IF YOU USE FREE EMAIL, DON’T EXPECT LUNCH…

Why?

There is a general opinion that whatever goods and services are provided, they must be paid for by someone.

If you are using Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc, there will be a cost. It might not be in terms of cash but it could be very expensive – proving the old adage that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Email is one of the most important communication tools in business and it is important that it reflects the professionalism of what you do.

Your credibility could lie entirely within your email address, because if you have a free account then you might be giving the impression you’re not serious about what you do, or don’t want to stick around too long.

While free addresses can serve a purpose, particularly with private email, anything that takes away your credibility can potentially detract from your reputation.

What are the common misperceptions that can come from a free address?

It may seem unprofessional and cause people to question the legitimacy of your products and/or services. Potential customers might think you don’t want to spend money on your business and so will think what you have to offer is not of the highest quality.

Using a free Email service makes you appear as though you don’t have credibility or staying power. Customers could lose confidence in whether or not you’ll be around very long.

Your business may be vulnerable to hackers. Free addresses are those commonly used by scammers and so they know how to use them and get into them. This could cause considerable problems if your account is compromised in any way – not only for you, but your customers. They won’t appreciate your email system causing them issues.

Spam, Spam and More Spam… Free email services seem to receive a disproportionate amount of spam. Some are better at spam filtering than others, but you can risk blocking legitimate email

Deliverability. Spammers regularly abuse free email accounts, or make it look like spam is coming from free email accounts. Many businesses block free email accounts to prevent viruses and spam.

You won’t get any support if something goes wrong. Because the service is free, there is little or no customer service for the free accounts. If you lose any emails or your account can’t be accessed for any reason, it is unlikely you will find any way to retrieve your messages.

So what is the solution?

As easy way to remedy the problems with free accounts is to register your business’s domain name so that can have a business-specific email address.

This is inexpensive and gives a professional impression, showing that you are investing in your brand and image.

These professional mailboxes cost as little as £4.50+VAT per month and the email can be configured and managed according to your specific needs.

A mailbox should preferably be hosted in the UK to ensure absolute compliance with Data Protection Laws and ensure safety with respect to hacking.

Northstar IT provides a UK based Microsoft Hosted Exchange mailbox service as well as the widely known Microsoft 365 platform to many of its customers, giving them the professional image they need to sustain and grow their businesses. These are scalable to any business size and there are no contract commitments either, giving true flexibility.

There are also options like centralised email footers, automated archiving, advanced spam and cyber security filtering available too. All service options are automatically fully backed up to give you true peace of mind, which to quote one of our enlightened colleagues “is logical Captain”.

Give us a call – your own professional address can be set up quickly and very cost-effectively, leaving you free to enjoy your lunch without worrying about your emails!

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